Doughnut machine and the like



1366- 1931- c. E. CARPENTER DOUGHNUT MACHINE AND THE LIKE Original Filed Feb. 29. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 1, 1931. c. E. CARPENTER DOUGHNU T MACHINE AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Feb. 29. l928 llllullll I 1 I v I i i I IIIIIIIH I Hllllll? f rzz a Ck arfsfif iuerz l r m. a' k Patented Dec. 1, 1931 UNITED" STATES CHARLES E. OF CHIGAGO, ILLINOIS DOUGIEN'U'EI. momma AND THE LIKE Original application filed February 29,

The present invention has to do with improvements in machines for feeding batches of dough and the like. The machine is particularly intended for the feeding of batches of dough for the frying of doughnuts and for similar operations. In this connection I will state that the doughnut dough used in the making of doughnuts is of rather thick consistency and will not flow readily. In these respects as well as others this material difi'ers very markedly from such materials as waflie dough, so called pie-filler, and materials of that kind.

The present invention relates to the construction and operation of dough batch mechanisms irrespective of the details of construction of the frying pan and other related parts.

One object of the invention is to provide a dough-feeding mechanism comprising a pair of cooperating plungers or elements working in proper timed relationship with respect to the throat through which the dough material is delivered into the pan. These two plungers or parts are reciprocated in such timing that the dough'batch is isolated or segregated into the delivery throat extending down from the hopper, and thereafter the dough batch is forced down and is delivered from the lower end of the throat, the lower valve member or plunger having been lowered sufiiciently to permit thisoperation to take place, and thereafter the lower plunger is raised up towards-and into the lower end of the throat so as to cut off and perforate the dough batch, the .upper plung- "er remaining stationary duringthis movement so as to prevent reentrance of the dough material upward through the throat into the hopper; and thereafter both of the plungers are raised in harmony and: finally the upper plunger moves to its maximum elevation so as to draw a fresh batch of dough in under it and have thus prepared the parts for another operation.

Another the provision. of an improved operating means for bringing about the foregoing movements in proper timed relationship. In this connection it is a further object to make feature of theinvention relates to- 1928, Serial No. 258,014. Divided and this application Med January I 81, 1929. Serial No. 333,942.

P ovision for readily disconnecting the "a tapered form of top surface .of the upper plunger will therefore materially facilitate the plunger movements in the body of the r dough and insure a more uniform and regular operation of the feedingof the doughnuts.

Other objects and uses of the invention will appear from a detailed description of the.

same which consists in the features of con struction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a vertical longitudinal secs tion through a machine embodying the features of the present invention, the delivery throat being shown as located directl' above the frying pan into which the dough atches are delivered; 8.11%5 the two plungers are shown-in a raised ition; v l

Fig. 2 shows a ragmentary section on the line 2-2 of Fi 1 looking in the direction of the arrows an on enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 shows a horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 shows a detail view partly in section lllustrating the two plungers in one position where the upper lunger is at its highest point and the lower p unger is moving downwards; and

Fig. 5 shows a view similarto that-of Fig. 4 but with the lower plunger at its lowest position and with the upper plunger approaching to its lowest pos tio This application is a division of my copending application for patent on doughnut machines and the like, Serial No. 258,014, I

filed February 29, 1928.

The hopper is designated generally by the numeral 6. It has a downwardly tapered or drawnfioor 7 which terminates in a central downwardl extendingthroat 8. The hopper is supported in any convenient manner as for example by the engagement of a band or ring 9 which is secured to the hopper and rests upon a supporting flange or t e like 10. By this arrangement the hopper can be readily lifted away by the supporting flange when the hopper is to be cleaned or replaced.

A cover 11 isprovided for enclosing the upper end of the hopper. Said cover-is made removable and has a antge 12 which is adapted to seat down-around e upper edge of the hopper roper. Preferably a vent hole 13 is rovi ed in the cover.

ere are the upper' and lower plungers 14 and 15 which are vertically reciprocable with res ct to the throat 8. The lunger 14 is carrie by a hollow stem 16 and t e lunger 1 is carried b a central stem 17 whic reciproc'ates up an down within thehollow stem 16. Preferably a thimble 18 is placed in the cover 11 at the int where the hollow stem 16 works up and own through said cover. This thimble therefore serves as a guide for the stems in their vertical movements.

The plungers 14 and 'are of such size that they are both able to work through the throat 8. Furthermore their reciprocations are so related that normally one or both of thus affording cal reciprocation of the plungers.

them is always engaged within the throat a lower guide for the verti- Means are provided for reciprocating the two plungers in timed relationship and in harmony. The relative movements of the two plungers are important since the satisfactory deliver of the dough batch depends to a considerab e degree on these movements. It will be noted that in Fig. 1 the lower plunger 15 stands about one half way up in the throat 8. This is approximately the highest int to which said p unger need rise, althougmhe parts ma be so desi ed that it will rise somewhat higher. It Wlll also be noted that in Fig. 1 the upper plunger 14 is at the upper end of the throat.

From the position in Fig. I the upper plunger 14 should be raised well above the uplpler end of the throat and into the hopper e holding the lower plunger 15 approximatelyl stationary. By this relative movement t e separation between the plungers is increased, a suction action is exerted between them, and afresh batch of dough is drawn in beneath the up r plunger'14.

About the time that the upper plunger reaches its upper limit or slightly before or after such. time the lower plunger starts to move downwardly and then it is accompanied in such mpvement by the upper, plunger. The result is that very shortly thereafter the upper plunger reenters the upper end of the lower end of the throat,

down through said throat, and thus the entire dough batch is trapped in the throat between the two plungers.

The downward movement of the twq plungers continues more or less in harmony until the lower plunger asses out from the i hlly uncovering the same as shown in Fig. 5. About this time the downward movement of the lower plunger ceases, the downward movement of the 11 per plunger continuing so that the space tween the two plungers closes up and the dough batch is forced out of the lower end of thethroat and around the lower plunger which is being suspended beneath, the throat.

Thereafter the lower plunger again starts to move upwards while the upper plunger is retained practically stationary at its lowermost position. The result is that. the dough batch is prevented from returning upwards due to the stationary condition of the upper plunger 14 until such time as the lower plunger has risen far enough to reenter the ower end of the throat 8. At this time the dough batch is cut oil by engagement of the lower plunger with the lower edge of the throat, and also the dough batch is perforated by the lower plunger. As a result the completed doughnut form drops away and is delivered into the frying pan. The particular means for operating the hollow and central stems will now be described in detail.

There is a stationary bracket 19 reaching up from which is an arm 20. The arm 20 carries a stub shaft 21 which is journaled therein, and the disks 22 and 23 are fastened on the ends of the stub shaft and rotate therewith in harmony. Either one of these disks 1 may be provided with eripheral teeth 24 so as to establish a gear by means of which i may be conveniently driven.

The upper ends of the hollow and central sleeves carry the grooved collars 25 and 26- res ectively. There are'slide plates 27 and 28 sli ably mounted in the bracket 19 and guided thereby in their vertical reciprocatipns. The upper ends of these slide plates 27 and 28 carry the cross heads 29 and 30 which lie close'to the faces of the respective disks 22 and 23. These cross heads are transversely slotted as best shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, and driving studs 31 and 32 are carried by the disks 22 and 23 respectively and engage with the slots of the cross heads. By this arrange- .as desired and may be secured at such positions by means of the nuts 35 (see Fig. 2). The studs are preferably shouldered as shown in Fig. 2 so that when the nuts 35 are tightened up the studs will be locked in proper adjustment-but without clamping the cross heads against the disks.

The slots on the cross heads should be of proper shape and size to give the desired relative movements for the two plungers 14 and 15. Generally speaking the cross heads 29 and 30 are provided with the transverse stud slots 36 and 37 respectively; and the central portions of these slots are formed on curves 38 and 39 which curves are approximate circulararcs for the average radius at which the corresponding stud is set. Furthermore, these curves face upwardly and therefore constitute dwells for the lower limits of movement of the plungers.

The proper timing of the reciprocations of the two plungers is secured by timing the positions of the two studs in an angular or rotational direction. Examination of Figs. 4 and 5 will show that these studs are located at approximately 90 degrees from each other so that they quarter as the disks are rotated. This will give the desired timing to the plungers. I

The connections between the slides 27 and 28 and the grooved collars 25 and 26 are made by means of bifurated finger pieces 40 and 41. These finger pieces are connected to the lower ends of the slides 27 and 28 as by the screws 42 so that the finger pieces can be readily removed to allow the stems 16 and 17 to be disengaged.

Examination of the different figures will show that the top surface 43, of the upper plunger 14 is conical or tapered in form. The result is that on the upward movements of the upper plunger said plunger is enabled to readily move into and penetrate the dough within the hopper, said dough sliding down around the upper plunger in order to occupy the space vacated beneath said plunger.

While I have herein shown and described only a single embodiment of the features of my present invention still I do not intendto limit myself thereto except as I may do .so in the claim.

I claim:

A dough batch machine including in combination a hopper having a downwardly depending throat, a disk valve and a plunger working in said throat, the plunger being above said disk valve, operating connections extending from the disk valve and the plunger upwardly through the hopper, a pair of vertical disks above the hopper and in alignment therewith, sidewise projecting pins on said disks, means for adjusting the radius of rotation of said pins, and cam connections between said pins and the upwardly extending operating connections aforesaid, substantially as described.

CHARLES E. CARPENTER. 

